Geoff Coupe's Blog

Reflections on life at “De Witte Wand”…

Getting The Message Across

I’m currently watching the series of videos made of the Beyond Belief conference. Session 3 had a rather nervous and hesitant presentation by Professor Joan Roughgarden, which caused something very interesting to happen. Richard Dawkins was asked to respond off the cuff to what he had just heard. He did so in his usual "take-no-prisoners" approach, and the body language of Roughgarden displayed very clearly her level of discomfort, and I would infer, her feeling of being under personal attack from Dawkins.
 
Later in the session, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson comments on his own reactions to Dawkins’ speech. Tyson was seated at the back of the room, and he was also able to observe the reactions of the audience. Tyson observes that Dawkins’ "commentary has a sharpness of teeth" that he did not expect and "I felt you more than I heard you". I have to say that I had a similar reaction. He makes the very good point that Dawkins is "Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford, not the Professor for Delivering Truth to the Public." I think Tyson is on to something here, though it pains me to say it. I sometimes think that our American friends go too far towards "respecting sensitivities", and spend endless hours treading on imagined eggshells, but I do agree with Tyson that the manner of saying can help enormously with the reception of the message. I just feel more aligned with Dawkins at the "blunt speaking" end of the spectrum.
 
Tyson’s comments have been extracted from the complete video of session 3, and are shown in a shortened video here. Dawkins, to his credit, accepts the rebuke, but can’t resist an impish anecdote to show that he is not the worst practitioner of the take-no-prisoners approach.
 
This is the first time that I’ve seen Tyson, and I must say I am impressed at his capabilities as a communicator. Another attendee refers to him as "Father Neil", and there is something about his manner of delivery that reminds me of a good old-fashioned preacher, albeit one without the fire and brimstone, but filled with the ability to extol the wonders of a most marvellous universe.
 

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2 responses to “Getting The Message Across”

  1. Gelert Avatar
    Gelert

    Maybe this is why I don’t much like Dawkins. Nail on the head. I’m all for hearing and listening to the views and experiences of others, but I can’t stand it when people (of any view or opinion) hammer others with ‘I’m right, no question, you’re wrong and what’s worse, you’re stupid kind of approach. It also makes me suspicious when there is a level of ‘violence’ in opposition – why? He also never seems to allow the slightest possibility that the great Dawkins may either be in any way wrong, or in any way just lacking the experience or understanding of others and therefore, its their error, not his.  I think you’ve nailed why I don’t take to the man, views irrelevant.

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  2. Geoff Avatar
    Geoff

    Gelert, I think you are responding to Dawkins’ manner, rather than what he’s actually saying. I honestly think he is a most rational man, and the baldness with which he often states things is not so much as "I’m right, you’re wrong" as "here are the facts, take them or leave them". That’s why I think Tyson’s remark was spot-on. Dawkins is also a good scientist, in the sense that if you do show him evidence to refute his hypotheses, he will take it on board, unlike many (most?) on the other side of the debate. But I accept that it doesn’t seem to come across that way.

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